Anne the Demon Killer
by Zingingnerdz
Summary: Buffy never returned home after fleeing to LA after defeating Angelus. There, she met and fell in love with Tara... But fate will always find a way. Now, nearly 2 years later, they both make their way to Sunnydale... And to a town protected by the new Slayer and maybe old friends.
1. Hellbent

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Spoiler Alerts: Canon for Seasons One and Two of BtVS. Storylines from the rest of BtVS, as well as AtS will occur in an AU way. Read at your own risk.

Author's Notes:

This is a Buffy/Tara or Buffy/Faith pairing... though it may not always stay either way. As previously stated, everything up to the end of Season Two is canon. Buffy ran away to L.A after sending Angel to that Hell Dimension, met Tara there and never came home for the beginning of Season Three. Faith became the Slayer of Sunnydale and never sided with the Mayor. Relationships and events changed due to Faith staying on the side of good and Buffy building a life for herself in L.A… which leads us to where everyone is now.

Story Notes:

Buffy now goes by her middle name, Anne, and the last name of Jones after Fred from Scooby Doo. Didn't want you to get confused when she is referred to as Anne Jones. I almost went with Blake after Daphne from the same cartoon, but I felt that Anne Blake was too close to the Anita Blake character by Laurell K. Hamilton… another vampire slayer, funny enough.

The story picks up right before the episode, Doomed. Things will be confusing at first, but where everybody is and what has happened will eventually come to the light of day. Be patient on when people start to show up. Also, the time-line is a little… off. I have bent things around to meet more of what I wanted to happen, so anyone with technicality issues (i.e., when episodes actually happened in canon vs. when I've got them) can file their complaints elsewhere. And finally, there will definitely be some OOCness. People changed under different circumstances and in some cases, I changed motivations and such... well, you get the idea.

Unless otherwise stated, the POV will be from Tara.

Enjoy the ride.

…ooo000OOO000ooo…

PROLOGUE - Secret Window

Unknown POV

In most cases, it might be expected that when someone stayed late in their office for several nights in a row, the only illumination remaining along the entire floor of the tall, imposing building, being cast from the lone lamp resting on the corner of that same someone's desk, that the future outlook was bleak and ominous. The desk and corner table, not to mention the couch and shelving along the wall, to be covered with files and books and papers. A cacophony of unstructured silent chaos.

That the end was near.

But in this case, such an assumption would be wrong. In fact, the desk was actually neat and orderly... almost scarily so, with the figure taking the time to make a few last minute notations and thoughts to the folder resting quietly on the desk, unassuming and non-threatening. From its cover and innocent label... two names written instead of the normal one... a casual observer would ignore the very passing of any thought that would suggest a nefarious danger to what lay within, the belief that paper and ink could not be among the very threads of destiny that would change the lives of so many... that proof truly existed how mighty pen could be against the mightiest and most magickal of swords.

Ignoring what is written, the focus is more on the various newspaper clippings contained within, the body of work not even needing to be studied, the titles of same said articles enough to get the point across as most are Front Page headlines:

Sunnydale Resident Crippled After Home Invasion

Halloween Candy Laced With Hallucinogenic Drug – Chaos in the Streets

Wild Dog Attack Victim Identified as British Tourist

Earthquake in Sunnydale – Experts Baffled

Mayor Richard Wilkins III Murdered

City Hall Fire Deemed Arson – Murder and Arson Linked

But that such articles made news across the country, Fox News and CNN both having carried the stories in some of the quieter down times, it is some of the smaller notices and announcements and back page news that are also contained within that would strike many as noteworthy. Not to mentioned downright terrifying when one considers the locations of this office and who said office was assigned to. Smaller and less shocking, those few stapled in with the others would make an interesting read for those in the know:

Summers and Giles Engagement

Missing – Have You Seen This Girl?

Search For Missing Georgia Girl Called Off

Ye Olde Magick Shoppe – Grand Opening This Tuesday

Cave-In at UC Sunnydale Reveals Hidden Burial Ground

All interesting reads, all containing a bounty of information that, to those that would greedily swallow each and every word printed, be prized and cherished and, to a dangerous point, could even, in fact, have altered what is into what could have been. But this was the reality of today leading into the possibility of tomorrow.

And so it begins...

…ooo000OOO000ooo…

CHAPTER ONE - Hellbent

Tara's POV

If you ignored the boxes scattered and stacked throughout the small, trendy apartment, the various instructions and definitions of the haphazard contents contained within marked across the cardboard in sparkly purple Sharpie, the clutter of clothes and assorted… well, just stuff, nothing placed properly or where it had originally been placed, strewn across the floor, you could see that the soon-to-be ex-residents were of similar goal and purpose to get as much done as possible in the little time that was left available. The shorter of the two women, her impossibly green striped among her more natural blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail and her clothes were mismatched, most likely just thrown on in a rush to be covered, was currently finishing the pulling out of clothing from her dresser. The other woman, only slightly taller and a bit more curvaceous and still blessed with her natural hair color, was running boxing tape along the top of already full boxes, her darker blonde hair pulled back under a scarf.

Neither woman seemed to be paying much to the other, each resolute in trying to finish their self-assigned tasks before lunchtime, and to the casual observer, it would seem that too much was happening for either to note what each other was performing… but to those in the know, a very few select and privileged friends, the two roommates… best friends… lovers, were well aware of the proximity of their significant other and were actually trying to be good so that they could be finished before the moving truck finally arrived.

There was no need for either to chastise that the reason they were rushing was due to their procrastination… or to the idea that they had spent most of the night previous and subsequent morning enjoying one another for the last time in the first apartment that they had ever shared. It might also never need to be mentioned aloud that they had slept wonderfully; each embraced in the arms and legs of their lover, and had only awoken barely thirty minutes past.

"I blame you, Anne."

At hearing her name, the shorter of the two blew a stray lock of emerald hair from her face and arched an eyebrow in question towards her girlfriend for the past seven months. She would have, as per her usual reaction, cocked a hip to the side and crossed her arms across her chest, but seeing as her arms were full of random tees, she decided to forgo any attempt at silent torture and decided to be blunt.

"Right. What for this time?"

Tara grinned over at her as she stood and moved over to another opened box. "I think that if we'd stuck to the original plan…"

"The one you wrote on a napkin last week at that little barbeque place you had to try before we left?" Buffy interrupted. "The same place that you lost the bet at and James made me color my hair this atrocious leprechaun fantasy? That place?"

"… and done a little bit of packing at a time," Tara continued as if Anne had spoken. It had been good barbeque... and it wasn't like she didn't look fab with green streaks. Definite hotness for the Crayola. "We could be done and sharing a beer by now… instead of running around like a chicken with its head cut off."

Anne couldn't help but laugh. "A chicken?" Her eyes sparkled as she threw the clothing in her arms into the top of the cardboard packing crate at her feet. "Is that another one of your Georgia Mountain country phrases?"

The older of the two huffed. "Listen up, valley girl cheerleader…"

"You know you love this valley cheer girl." Anne refused to let Tara finish her thoughts.

"Look, little miss green-haired Bring-It-On. I think that…"

"Don't think, baby." Anne laughed playfully, thrusting her hips forward provocatively. "You and me? We're into feeling. Not thinking."

"Flower girl, huh? Sure you're not actually named after a flower or something?"

Anne grinned. "Never heard of a Buffy flower… hmm… maybe a thorn bush."

"Fine." Tara dropped the tape dispenser on the desk and wiped the sweat from her forehead. "Yes. You win. You're my hot little girlfriend that sexes me up whenever the mood strikes her. Hippie 'lil nympho."

Anne laughed. "What can I say? You turned me off of stick. I'm a girl's girly girl now who has needs that only you can fill."

The taller girl moved a box from the desk's chair and sat down quickly, a sigh escaping from her to get off of her feet, frowning at the dust staining the knees of her sweatpants. They may not have been packing long, but she was tired. Who knew that two girls with nothing barely to their name could get together and amass such an amount of useless junk in so short a time? She let her muscles relax as she watched the former vampire slayer skip along happily at having won the verbal sparring and finish throwing random items in for their big move.

Anne picked up three boxes at once and carried them out of the bedroom and towards the front door. Tara had been amazed that she had made a joke about her first name. Buffy. For so long, she'd hidden away that part of herself, scarred by the horrors that she'd had to face when fighting against her former boyfriend, Angelus.

All apparently unnecessary after what they'd discovered recently. Angel once again. But now alive… well… not in a Hell Dimension... as Anne had apparently mistakenly believed. But for every silver lining was the rain cloud to follow from bad to worse; Angel was apparently living here in the same city. It was only her belief in the Return of Three under the Goddess that had kept Tara from unleashing her displeasure in a most Wicked Witch of the West type way. Anne meant too much and so many things could so easily go wrong.

That she and Anne both had gotten that scholarship from Wolfram and Hart had been a gift from above. The Goddess provides her children with what they need. Like the wind. Exit L.A., stage right.

Tara sighed as she thought over how so much had happened in such a short time. Never mind the whirlwind friendship slash romance that seemed to slap them each over the head without a care for what they might have felt previously. Tara had always been drawn to the female side of the fence, a fact that her Southern family seemed unable to accept… all but her mother. No. Her family's attitude, not to mention the emotional blackmail and abuse; Tara ran as soon as she could. Anne, really, was not a lesbian in the strictest since, ignoring that she was making with the bumping and smootching and grinding with a woman. No. Anne had fallen in love with Tara… something Anne professed she would have done whether she was female or male or demon. Involuntary shuddering, so happy that her mother had told her the truth before passing on that the women of the Maclay family were not, in fact, demons like her father preached.

That could have been a real mood killer.

She couldn't help but chuckle at how fate interceded. California had seemed perfect for running away after Mom was gone. Passed away. Tara had her high school diploma and good enough grades for a partial scholarship to a small university in a California town called Sunnydale. Everything seemed okay until the bus connection terminal she was waiting at was just a few blocks down from the hole-in-the-wall diner, sadly named Helen's Kitchen, that Anne was working at. Tara had wanted food and it was upon immediately entering the greasy spoon that she saw her destiny. For her, it had been love at first sight, though it took some persuasion to get Anne to see it.

But it took time for Fate to put them together and in love. Tara had been too shy to approach Anne that first meeting and had decided to go back to her waiting bus ride. A bad car wreck and a fist fight among the two drivers involved interrupted those plans… the fight led to a stabbing. Cops got called in and it was then that Tara met Detective Kate Lockley. As a material witness, she had been requested to make statements and more, causing her to miss her connection. Fate and the Goddess might be true bitches, but they offered Blessings like no body's business.

Aunt Kate, as she and Anne now called her, actually knew Anne Jones, the alias that Anne was using then and now, the two of them interacting due to the several times the small night-shift waitress had been able to help prevent bad things from happening to the people that lived near the diner. Anne was a regular knight errant, and everyone loved her for it. Kate introduced Tara to the object of her lust and that led to the two becoming roommates when Tara decided to say to Hell with Sunnydale and yes to the possibility of something so much more and Anne was looking for someone to help cover expenses.

Not that it was easy. Tara had thought her big reveal about being a Witch was going to be a potential deal breaker before anything could even begin. Color her flabbergasted when Anne had let it out of the bag that she was the Slayer. Well, the first one. Seemed there was a second one taking care of the Hellmouth. Oh, yeah. Imagine that the college scholarship she had been heading to was over a Hellmouth. And that didn't even cover what her love had been through before fleeing to Los Angeles.

"You lazy little lay about." Anne's voice cut into Tara's musings. "You complain about all we need to get done and I leave you for a second to find you sitting on your cute ass doing nothing."

Tara felt guilty for a moment until she noticed that Anne was chewing on something. What could she be eating? She started to ask when a sudden realization jumped into her mind.

"My egg rolls!"

She knew she was right that the little minx was eating the remains from their dinner last night when Anne tore out from the doorway laughing as Tara chased after her.

It would have been the perfect foreplay except that the moving truck guys knocked on the door right as Tara caught the younger girl. Damn but that she felt Anne had planned it that way. Tara had to get her back. Yes. Vengeance would be hers... maybe another tattoo...

…ooo000OOO000ooo…

Tara's POV

Welcome to Sunnydale.

At least, that's what the sign said. She'd reserve her opinion until they were settled and Anne and she had gotten through all of the drama that was sure to hit.

Anne… Buffy… returning to Sunnydale.

Her mom.

Her Watcher.

Her friends.

Being in love with another woman.

Hmm… maybe that last one should be moved up a few spots.

And who knew what else there was. Were any old enemies waiting? Anne had mentioned a vampire that she'd let run away in exchange for his help in stopping Angelus. Did he stay gone? And the female he wanted… Druwella or something. What if she was looking for payback?

Tara felt Anne snuggle closer in to her shoulder, her nose itching from the former Slayer's hair tickling her nose. They'd gotten everything packed and loaded even with all of the shenanigans they pulled on one another after the movers had gotten there. Anne doing so much work on her own while the two guys were not looking. Poor girl had worn herself out. But 'nanigans of the she variety and secret super-strength liftings by the Slayer aside, the moving truck was finally on its way to the small, off-campus apartment they had called about previously and already put a deposit down for, leaving them only the task of taking the bus to Anne's former home.

What fun.

But classes were picked. Jobs were lined up... well... one job. Tara's boss at the book store had gotten in touch with the new occult book store slash magick shop slash antiquity dealer in Sunnydale and gainful employment was ready for her in a week. Anne... well, Anne had something else set up.

It had not been an easy thing, Tara's convincing her lover to return to Sunnydale. Sure, they'd had a pretty good life in L.A. She'd put the college dream on hold and found work in a small occult bookstore, off the radar enough to not attract attention. And Anne had finally gotten out of Helen's... actually working at that trendy bar, D'oblique, that had just opened and had only been a few blocks away. That had given her time during the day to study and pass her GED, as well as for them to build up a tiny sum of actual fundage.

The original plan had been a few courses at UCLA, but the cost had been so outrageous. Anne had offered to let her take all that they had to pay for classes, but Tara had been adamant. It was a both or nothing deal. She wouldn't stand for anything less... though the offer had earned Anne a night of sexual fantasy fulfillment that had had Tara blushing for days after, as well as Anne having a satisfied smile, too.

No. They might have had a start of the start of a start according to the costs in the UCLA brochure and online guide, but it would take some serious funding of the millionaire type for Tara's dream to have a chance to teach to become real. Her prayers to the Goddess had been of the nightly and of the serious for several weeks. It had seemed hopeless until one of the weekly dinners with Aunt Kate that the policewoman had suggested applying for private scholarships; that several of the larger companies in the city offered to pay for schooling as long as the recipient of said generosity was willing to either pay back in a timely manner or accept employment at said business, as a first offer.

It was a prayer for a miracle.

That miracle ended up leading them both to Wolfram and Hart... but more specifically, had led to Lilah Morgan.

Lilah had been everything that Tara and Anne had needed, without their ever knowing what was needed. She was a lawyer, and as such, had been able to cut through so much of the red tape and other roadblocks that had acted like a literal minefield for the two of them to stumble their way around. No. Miss Morgan had explained every form and contract that had to be signed and had, at no cost to her very valuable time, spent countless hours changing the mountains of papers from legalese... possibly Klingon, according to Anne... to something more in the realm of Going To School For Dummies. The only danger that they had faced, through it all surprisingly, had been that Anne Jones was fiction. Buffy Summers was the reality. Tara had put her big toe into the treacherous waters of explaining the realness of late-night network horror movie life to Lilah, who now considered herself their legal counsel. Once again Tara was metaphorically head slapped, as the lawyer had admitted to already knowing the four-one-one about the both of them. It was, apparently, pretty common practice for firms as large as W&H to actually, you know, research all applicants.

The life and times of Tara Maclay was an open book. They knew who Anne really was, as well.

All of this had ultimately led to where Tara was now sitting comfortably on a bus racing past the welcome sign, with her partner cuddled up in a kitten-cute way and soundly sleeping on her shoulder. Yes, there was a lot to be afraid of... but when had anything worth actually having been of the easy.

University of California – Sunnydale... make way for Tara and Anne. Here we come.

...ooo000OOO000ooo...

Tara's POV

"Do you think I'll get employee discounts?" Tara asked after regaining her breath.

The new apartment was of the fab, rock-star crib type of home; something that MTV or other cable channel would be glorifying and poking around in. Not to mention that the cameras would have two smoking ladies christening all of the rooms and semi-hard surfaces located about. Yeah, Lilah had really come through for them. Again. Snickering, she had to consider that at the rate she and Anne were coming to depend on their legal representation that they might be indentured for life; though not a horrible thought when you considered the perks of drinking the fruity, powdery drink mixture that was being offered.

It had taken the better part of two days to complete the task, but all of their personal knickknacks were properly placed around the furnished rooms. Pictures had been hung. Their videos and CD's on the stand under the television and beside the stereo system... no particular order. Clothes for her had been put on the left side of the drawers and the right side of the walk-in closet. Anne's on the opposite in each case. The chest of weapons Anne had amassed after Tara finally convinced her to return to Sunnydale sat next to the sectional sofa as a decorative conversation piece. The refrigerator was currently the proud container of a nearly full case of locally brewed beer; two unopened bottles of red wine; six half eaten containers of Thai food from a local place Anne knew about that delivered; one carton of Half Baked Ben and Jerry's ice cream and a half empty disposable case of assorted fruits.

Oh... and the bed had been properly made and then unmade due to the hour and a half of fucking that started as soon as they could politely throw the movers out of the apartment... which, of course, led to the proper placement of Tara's favorite blue bra to be hanging from the ceiling fan. A fact that both of them could now appreciate as they cooled down from their lovemaking, the naked bodies still shiny and glistening.

"Discount?" Buffy laughed from where she was laying beside her, the sweat from their bodies cooling down from the bedroom activities. Tara ignored that she was licking her fingers one at a time. "What happened to your box of alter and magicky stuff? Did it break?"

Tara rolled over onto her side and rested her head on Anne's stomach, enjoying how easily they fit together. "No. But I need to Bless this space and ward it against anything seeking to harm us. That'll kill most of my current stash."

"Stash." Her living pillow replied airily. "You make it sound like we need to run behind the school gym and score some weed or something."

She wiggled her eyebrows even though Anne couldn't see her facial movements. "I could look around for some of that, too, if you want. The last time we did that we had a great time."

"Yeah. Great. You weren't the one that ended up naked and dancing in front of the open window,"

"Its not my fault you lost that bet with James..."

"Not your fault?!" Anne all but screamed. Taking a deep breath. "Let me kindly state for the official record that you, in fact, were the one that lost that bet! More to the point, you keep losing these bets and I keep ending up having to be the one to pay for 'em."

Grinning, Tara was glad that she was still faced away from the love of her life. Lying had never been her strong suit; the childhood stutter always returning to give her away... not to mention the blush that surely had her face copying a tomato at the moment. After so many months together, this was the first time that Anne had ever come close to understanding that she and James, her co-worker at the bookstore, had these bets rigged so their significant others would end up doing some really embarrassing shit.

"That's it, isn't it?!" Anne sat up, effectively pushing her off. Tara guiltily looked up at her, trying to hold the laughter in for as long as she could. "You little bitch! All those bets. All those things me and Hilary had to do. You and James set us up!"

She nodded meekly. Her stomach butterflies started to dance as she watched the green and blonde haired girl across from her narrow her eyes. "I have a tattoo of your name on the small of my back... have green hair that will not wash out from my natural hair color for who knows how long... two tickets for indecent exposure in public... Hilary and I had to act as maid and housekeeper for you and James for a whole weekend while the two of you watched the Charmed marathon..." Anne's voice kept going up and up in decibel level to the point that Tara considered that soon dogs down the street would start responding. "I have more sexy role play costumes than most Trekkies have Mister Spock ears... and, lest we forget, I had to pose for those dirty pictures you wanted..."

"Are you mad?"

Anne's gaze could have cut through stone. Tara swallowed at the look, realizing that her hens had come home to roost. It had all been in fun and stuff... and she knew Anne would be okay with all that had happened, as Tara had wanted each of those things to happen. But a retaliation of this magnitude might let Anne gain the upper hand in their relationship... and Tara enjoyed being the top; Anne naturally being the bottom of their pairing. Tara very much liked that Anne looked for someone to take charge and make the decisions when not in a slayage type of sitch. But something of this size would have Tara groveling for a while now, and tops should never be beholden to their submissive.

"Darling." The former vampire slayer smiled wickedly. "You've finally given me reason to try and get you exactly where I want you."

"Th-that doesn't s-s-sound s-so bad." She offered weakly. Yep. She was screwed, but it was all still a Tara in charge kinda world. All was right and good.

"We'll see."

Taking a deep breath of air to try and calm herself down, Tara nodded to silently signify that she would accept her punishment graciously, reached out to intertwine her fingers with Anne's and moved on to safer ground. Well, safer than what they were currently discussing. "Have you thought about Lilah's offer any more?"

"Not really."

"Why not?"

Anne leaned back into the pillows, her eyes closing. Since she hadn't let go of Tara's hand, that meant Tara was pulled along for the ride and found herself comfortably snuggling up with the smaller girl. Once they were both settled and happy, Anne chuckled darkly.

"When we learned that W&H was in the supernatural business and stuff... that they were like an American version two-point-oh of what the Watchers were like over in jolly 'ol England, it kinda pissed me off that we were both getting dragged back into that sorta life, ya know?"

"Anne..."

"No." She interrupted Tara's attempt to respond. "Let me answer, kay?"

After she nodded at the request, Anne continued. "I know you weren't stopping being a witch. But I left that life. I never wanted it to begin with. And, well, after having to send Angel away. It was too much. Sure, you and I helped Lily after we found what happened to Richie, but other than the occasional mugger of pickpocket, I was outta the game.

"And then Lilah answers our prayers and we're going to college and everything seemed to finally be going my way... I thought that karma had finally wanted to give me some sorta balance. Something for me. And don't get me wrong, we still are getting a lot. I shoulda been ready for the strings and fine print. But they're asking for a lot, too."

Tara knew she was frowning. "Is it too much?"

"Not really. I was glad to stop that Scourge army dudes that were trying to run the streets. And I was happy to help Aunt Kate stop that body-snatcher demon before it could mess with my bar, but they're wanting me to start acting like the Slayer again."

Tara ran her thumb along the back of Anne's hand. "Would it be so bad to try being the Slayer again? I know at times, especially late at night, that you miss it. Its a part of you."

Anne sighed softly. "Yeah... but from what we've been able to Mission Impossible, there's a new Slayer here. Kendra's replacement has been called, signed, paid for and delivered. I'm not needed."

"As the Slayer, maybe." Tara offered. "But Lilah just wants you to check some things out for her occasionally. Would that be so bad?"

"I don't know. What happens if I say no?"

"Then you say no. We're not required to work for them until after graduation." She poked her finger at Anne's waist. "That's at least four years away for you. Five or six for me if I get what I want."

When she didn't react, Tara rolled off of the bed and picked up her discarded shirt from the floor. "Well... we don't have to decide anything right away. How about I run to check out the Magick Shoppe and go ahead and pick up my supplies. I can grab some dinner on the way home."

Her spirits lifted as she heard Anne getting up from the bed and looking around to find some of her clothes, as well. "Does anything sound good? Suggestions?"

The former Sunnydale native ran her fingers through her hair. A lost cause, if ever there had been one. "If you'll run by the store and grab milk and cereal for breakfast in the morning, I'll order pizza."

Tara grinned. "Alright. Give me an hour or so to meet my new boss and then I'll make the run. Say meet up here around seven or so?"

Anne walked over and kissed her before throwing Tara a bra from the dresser. "Go, babe. I'll have a thin crust veggie waiting on you."

"Love you."

"You, too."

...ooo000OOO000ooo...

Tara's POV

There had been a plan. Well. Not really a plan, per se, but an agreement of certain areas to avoid at all possible until an actual real and agreed upon plan was decided and ready to be put into action. The Espresso Pump was considered a hot spot, as was The Bronze night club; apparently the only dance action place for miles around. There were a couple of delis that a few of her high school friends were known to hang, and the art gallery one street over from Main was where Mrs. Summers was manager. Anything close to the high school was a maybe, as all of her friends should have graduated last year, but who knew. The Mall was a world of no.

Ultimately, the corner market down the block and the grocery along Whedon Boulevard were probably bad, too, but the lack of choices for actual staples and necessities for actually living and surviving was where Tara drew the line. They still had some time before the new semester began, so she was willing to humor Anne's witness protection routine of hiding at the apartment and Tara would re-con the lay of the land and do the walking. She'd even had the ability to hold back any sighs and eye-rolls when Anne had insisted Tara have some defensive spells ready.

But here she was, finally, sitting outside the Ye Olde Magick Shoppe. Tara took a moment to absorb and enjoy the positive energy the seemed to seep along the very foundation of the building. It was such a relief, the goodness of the building and stuff hidden inside, that she could finally release the doubt and worry that had plagued her since accepting the job position... not knowing if she was gonna find a black aura. It had been a serious worry that could now get thrown away.

Squaring her shoulders and checking her reflection in the tinted window, Tara pushed firmly on the door, a smile gracing her face as she listened to the tinkling of the old fashioned door bell directly above her, an angel having just earning its wings. Inhaling the wonderful mixture of incense and parchment and candle wax that seemed to literally hang in the air around her, she took a cursory glance around the tables and shelves near the front door, immediately dismissing their wares as for tourists and posers. There was a flicker of worry on if the shop was real, but after walking down the steps to the lowered center floor, her body nearly humming at what was all around her, Tara let the smile grow. This was the closest that she would ever come to a home away from Anne.

Now... if she could get Anne down here, the world and stars would be aligned perfectly.

"Welcome to the Ye Olde Magick Shoppe." A sweet voice called out. "How might I help you?"

The voice had the faint undertone of being British, but was soothing in a fatherly type of way that immediately added to the comfort and hominess that the store had imbued. Her eyes traced over the man, easily in his forties or so, though in fairly nice condition. His face was tired, a man that was obviously used to knowing the truth of the world around them, the world hidden above and below... but he had not been defeated, though there had been loss. He was nicely dressed, a bit... well... maybe not exactly what she expected, but it fit him.

Realizing that the gentleman was patiently waiting on her, she blushed slightly and put out her hand. "Hi. I'm Tara Maclay. I think somebody is expecting me..."

"Oh, yes." His eyes lit up. "Of course. Of course. Mister Greenhilt from Bryce Books had called me. Said you were the best employee he'd ever had the pleasure of hiring."

"He's sweet, Mister Greenhilt."

"Quite." She watched as the apparent owner walked over to a counter and started looking underneath for something. He straightened up and opened a manilla folder. He read a document inside before lifting his eyes back to meet hers. "I thought we agreed you would start on Monday."

Tara nodded. "Oh, no. I mean, yes, I start on Monday. But I came in today to meet you and to make sure I could find the store and to look at restocking my supplies."

She liked that he smiled as she spoke.

"Supplies?" He asked. "What were you looking for?"

"I'm doing a basic ward and Goddess Blessing on my apartment. That sort of thing."

His expression darkened only for a moment before the smile was back in place. "Which Goddess' blessings were you looking at?"

"A basic Gaia. Nothing too far out there."

He nodded again. "Wiccan?"

Taking a deep breath, she decided to go with honesty. "Wiccan and a practitioner."

Nodding, she watched as the proprietor and possible owner of the shop turned and walked over to a shelf next to a ladder leading to a small upper level. Pulling a few pre-wrapped packages from several bins, he slowly started mumbling the herbs and spell components under his breath as he handed each to her. He was a practitioner, too! She greedily took everything he offered and silently started trying to remember where he was pulling each thing from. After a moment, she watched as he stopped and looked back at her, his eyes carefully considering.

"Do you understand what you are warding for?"

Ah. Nodding, she glanced around before speaking. "Vampires. Demons. General badness of the yucky kind."

"Yucky kind." He parroted. "Quite."

Feeling like she had passed a test, she followed him over to the counter. She started to reach for the cash she had shoved into her pocket before leaving the apartment, when she watched him take the supplies from her hands and drop everything into a sack.

"I think that should cover everything." At her blank look, he picked up a pair of glasses laying on the counter and put them on. "Do you think you'll need anything else?"

Tara shook her head in response. "No. That was more than enough. I was just going to pay?" Taking a breath, she asked, "Do I get an employee discount?"

The man chuckled. "Well, yes... but for something like this, there will be no charge."

"Oh, no. I couldn't..."

"My dear," his voice was gentle. "I insist. Sunnydale has quite the special needs and, for someone like yourself, I must insist you be safe first. After you are settled, we can come up a fair discount for your personal needs. But on this, I am in charge and I say that you will be taking it."

She was about to thank him for his kindness, when the bell above the entrance rang. Both of their gazes went immediately to the door. Tara watched as a very nice looking woman walked in, dressed in a very understated fashion and walking with a very ornate cane.

"Dear." She heard her new boss exclaim as he quickly moved around the counter and moved over to the new arrival.

"Rupert."

Tara watched as the two embraced, doing everything she could to keep a smile and pleasant look on her face. Goddess save her... Rupert. English accent. Practitioner. Her boss was Rupert Giles; Anne's former Watcher. Why wasn't he at the high school? Wasn't he Sunnydale High's librarian?

She was pulled from her internal explosion of a mental meltdown as she watched him pull back from the hug and turn them both around to face Tara.

"Tara Maclay. Might I have the pleasure of introducing you to my wife, Joyce Summers-Giles." He turned to look at the woman who was smiling at her now. "Joyce. This is the young lady Bryce Books referred to help me out around here, Tara Maclay.

The woman... Joyce... Joyce Summers. Joyce Summers-Giles. Mother of Buffy Anne Summers. Apparently the now wife of Rupert Giles... the Watcher and surrogate father-figure for that same girl. That girl who was now her love. Anne was right. Sunnydale was evil in the worst sort of way. The blonde witch watched as the woman carefully limped over took Tara's hands into her own. She had only briefly glimpsed the woman once before... Mrs. Summers, now Giles, had been making a delivery to Angel at the same time that Tara had been meeting with Aunt Kate... she hadn't noticed that she was hurt. What had happened?

Goddess, but the world was a much smaller place than anyone ever really gave it credit for being. Tara forced down the lump in her throat and smiled up at the woman who was currently speaking.

"It is so nice to meet you. We weren't expecting you until tomorrow. Is there anything you need?"

The absolute kindness and welcoming feeling the woman exuded only made Tara want to run away so much faster. These two people represented so much of Anne's past. They were the building blocks and guides for a large part of who she became... but the wiggies were starting up again in the back of her mind. Mister Giles had been her Watcher, and while he seemed sweet and caring, Tara knew that all was not kittens and rainbows. This was the man that pressured and ordered her to not have friends… to not have a life. She was to be the Slayer and that was all that mattered.

And her mother: this is the woman that kicked Anne out. Told her to never return.

Shaking the woman's hand, she forced a smile on her face. "No, ma'am. I'm fine. Your husband is taking care of me quite well." Thinking of Anne at home waiting for her, she could feel the smile on her face becoming more real. "I just came in early to meet him and to pick a few things up."

Mister Giles walked back over, his arm casually around Joyce's waist. "So... we open at ten o'clock tomorrow morning. Does, say, nine-thirty sound good?"

"Rupert. Don't run her off just yet." Anne's mother admonished. "Tara, dear, would you like to join us for dinner? Its nothing fancy, but maybe a home-cooked meal to fill you up. I remember how hard it was for... well... it was difficult moving to a new city."

Tara caught the momentary slip, but let it slide. "That sounds wonderful, but my girlfriend is back home and we have a date planned for tonight. I'm going to be late as it is."

The three talked for a few minutes more, the offer for dinner extended to include her girlfriend, as well... the fact that she was involved with another female not seeming to be causing any problems. At least, none until they actually met said girlfriend. Tara finally excused herself from the conversation, pointing out that it would be dark soon, which unfortunately led to offers of driving her on her grocery errand and then home; all offered freely and quite nicely. They were offers that, if Anne had not been who she was, that would have been graciously accepted.

She and Anne were going to have to make plans... and, like, right away.

...ooo000OOO000ooo...


	2. Tie Me Up Tie Me Down

CHAPTER TWO - Tie Me Up Tie Me Down

Tara's POV

So, remember in all of those romantic comedy chick flicks that seem to saturate the movie theaters year round? How you could easily tell that the two stars on the big screen were perfectly meant for one another, but there was that something that held them apart. It was never anything major or insurmountable, but it was there still. A lock on the door... this was not one of those. Nope. No matter how hard I might wish, I couldn't be stuck in one of those. This was more like the romantic drama that was leading up to the crying and nose-blowing and other shit that only happens to guys during baseball movies.

The uneaten and now cold box of pizza still rested on the coffee table. The once cold beers had warmed. The television was still on, the movie on HBO playing along though no sound could be heard from the muted display. Tara sat alone on the couch; Anne was in the bedroom. The last Date Night they had before working and real life was reasserting itself had fallen apart before it had even had a chance to start.

And the muffled sounds of Anne crying in the other room was breaking her heart.

Tara had known that everything that she had encountered at the Magick Shoppe, especially considering the ludicrous idea that Anne's mother was married to her former Watcher, and that Tara had met both on her first outing into the town away from the sanctuary of the apartment and Anne's loving and protective arms, had to be shared immediately.

She hated ruining the seduction scene her lover had created. Lights low, the room all a-glowy from the various non-magick candles lit about the living room. The pizza box was open and actual plates and utensils were set next to one another. Anne had pulled just about every pillow in the entire apartment and had them laid out everywhere... with her reclining across the couch, her head propped up by her hand. Oh, and only wearing the teddy that Tara had bought for her a few months ago... her favorite scrap of clothing that left nothing to the imagination. But ruin it, she did.

Nothing went well in the conversation. It had only been through an amazing act of the Goddess apparently directly intervening that helped Tara to prevent Anne from packing a small suitcase and running away again. And that was only after the information about Mister Giles. The news about her mother and the two's marriage to one another had sent Anne into a downward spiral that seemed to suck the very life out of the petite girl. And Tara had tried to be comforting, to offer any type of support a needy Anne might want or need, but the other girl wanted only to be left alone; alone to, what currently seemed like, empty her body of tears.

Maybe Sunnydale was too much too soon. Anne was never going to be able to stand it... and Tara was a horrible girlfriend for in even the slightest way of encouraging the move. She was being selfish to the bitchiest degree, Joan Crawford level, to put college and her own wants ahead of considering the myriad of emotions, each and all bad, that Anne would have to go though.

"Baby..."

Tara quickly swallowed away the tears that had been threatening to spill over, her hands rubbing across her cheeks in the vain hope of hiding how hurt she was. Before she could turn, she felt Anne's arms wrap around her from behind, the feel of skin-to-skin contact healing the inner turmoil a bit.

"I'm sorry." She gasped at her lover's apology. Tara's heart broke. She couldn't let her take the blame. Anne had every reason to be worried.

"No, Anne. No. Don't apologize... I'm sorry. Sorry 'bout this whole move here. We can go. You and me. Forever, right?"

The smaller woman physically turned Tara around so that they could properly hold one another. "No, baby... we're gonna stay. I gotta face 'em sooner than, ya know?" She pulled a hand from around Tara and wiped at her nose, sniffing. "And yeah... forever. Forever at the least."

"But I ruined tonight." Tara whined.

Moving so slow that it was like a tantalizing tease, Anne ran the back of her hand along Tara's cheek. "Yeah, well... now we can get to the make-up bumping portion of the evening."

"So sure of yourself, are you?"

Anne nodded as she lightly brushed her lips against her own. "Yeah. See. I'm about to take this thing off," She gestured to the lacy outfit she still wore. "And I was going to grab some of that mango-scented oil that you like so much..." Tara could feel her heart start racing, her breath quickening, not to mention her panties dampening hotly. "Plus there's a few toys in the nightstand that might see their way inside of my tiny, little pussy... and..."

Tara forced a kiss to stop Anne from continuing, her tongue driving harshly into the Slayer's mouth, the desire... no, the need to touch her, to love her. She was like the ultimate aphrodisiac, constantly forcing Tara to experience every sexual kink and deprivation that the two could get themselves into. Her hand drove through Anne's hair, gripping them tightly as she forced the shorter girl's head back. Tara loved dominating Anne in their love life, the absolute trust and faith that the more physically powerful one offered in yielding to Tara's demands. It had been liberating to both in so many ways, plus had led to an unexpected breakthrough for the witch to get over her shyness and to assert in some many other facets of life, not just in their sexual adventures.

She felt her body flush in excitement as Anne whimpered inside of the kiss, her hands resting lightly on the taller girl's shoulders. Moving her lips away from Anne's, Tara trailed her tongue down across her jaw and began nibbling at her neck... the moans and soft gasps drawn from her enough to spur Tara on, her hand tightly tugging Anne's hair and head to the side, forcing her lover to offer herself up more... to submit.

There had been so many conversations regarding sex and their sex lives after the two of them became involved, not all of which had been very easy... for either of them. For Tara, Anne was definitely not the first female lover she'd had, though the extent of her past experiences had been a single night of fumblings and limited satisfaction with a girl she'd gone to high school with; the other being a three month relationship between her junior and senior year. Nothing laying on the couch to talk about worthy, but open and honest, right?

For Anne, there could easily have been several two hundred buckaroos per hour chargings for what she'd gone through. There had been a few jock types she'd dated when Anne had been a cheerleader at Hemery High, her desire to be popular allowing for all the wrong choices to be made. Then the quick relationship with the guy named after a fish; Oliver Bass or something... but he'd not been what she needed at all. And that left Angel. That was a psychiatrist's dream of psychosis to treat. Through it all, Anne had admitted that it was not necessarily the dangerous nature of the choices she wanted, though at first glance it might appear as such, but in actuality, her significant others all were so controlling... she craved that controlling nature. Tara had been dumbfounded at the admission. Anne wanted to be dominated; she wanted someone else in charge, someone else to step up and accept responsibility and direct her towards what they both wanted. To tell Anne what she wanted.

Anne had been thrust into the position of the Slayer, all eyes turned towards her, expecting her to make all of the hard decisions... the life or death of so many others depended upon what she decided to do. It was everything that she had never wanted. So, she had compromised quietly within herself; she'd be the Slayer and find a way to have what she wanted outside from that. And Tara had to agree to some level, it might have worked, but that Angel for all of his controlling wasn't much of the domineering type. Well... not until he'd lost his soul. See, Angelus had been exactly what Anne had wanted... minus being, ya know, evil and murderous and stuff.

So, Anne wanted love, but she wanted a lover who could be the man, so to speak, of the relationship. She wanted to be the girl who was taken care of, that was... well, when you threw in some of the kink and sex and stuff, Anne wanted to be topped.

That had led Tara to have to take a serious look at herself, to see what she wanted from Anne, both in and out of the bedroom. Could she do that? Was that something that she could really offer? Did she want to try to enter that style of lifestyle? It had been a whole new world to explore and one that she wasn't sure that she could handle. Worse than the worry about trying to top Anne was the real fear of trying and failing. Would Anne leave if it didn't work?

"Baby, please." Anne moaned. "I need you to fuck me. Now." Grinning, Tara pulled her lips from where she was currently marking Angel's bite with her own, a personal goal of hers, for Anne to never go without an obvious sign of belonging to her. Without a word, she carefully pulled her teeth away, pride filling her heart at the hickey that was already forming over the vampire's bite scar. Anne was hers now.

Anne began to try and direct them both towards the bedroom, but Tara stood her ground, refusing to be directed. It had been an emotional night, full of tears and fears... ignore the rhyme. Her lover was going to need to feel safe, secure in that together they could meet any obstacle; even her own mother. At Anne's inquisitive look, Tara shook her head and directed Anne to sit back in the corner of the sectional sofa.

"We need to reset our foundation, love."

If there had been any doubt that Anne needed to be made subservient tonight or not flew right out of her head at the grateful sparkle that suddenly filled the young girl's face. It was definitely a bonding night.

"Roll over across the back of the sofa, love." Anne didn't move yet. She'd learned when they played to wait for Tara to be finished. "Go ahead and strip and have your hands behind your back. I'll be right back."

Not even waiting to see if she complied with her instructions, Tara knowing without a doubt that Anne would be ready for her before she returned to the living room, she made her way into the master bathroom that was connected to their bedroom. The immediate reaction to the view of the mirror had her clean up, a nod to her vanity, before she carefully threw her clothes in the hamper before opening her playbox from the closet. Wanting to keep it simple for tonight, more about helping Anne calm down and reassert her strength in this place.

Tara smiled as she felt the studded latex gloves fit firmly along her skin, the material tightening nicely as she drew the fingers into fists. There was no need tonight for any of the whips or other toys. Those could wait for later. From the visual signs she'd seen tonight, as well as how emotionally unstable Anne had been when Tara mentioned meeting her mother, Anne needed it simple... back to basics. Tonight would be very similar to a more vanilla night of kink, rather than some of the more elaborate games and playing that they got into... and the scented oils could be for later.

Pulling her blonde hair back into a loose bun at the back of her neck, she smiled to find her lover... her life-mate... naked and leaned across the far edge of the sofa, her ass aimed towards the bedroom door. Possibly without even realizing what she was doing, though considering how horny Anne often seemed she might, Tara noted how in her current position and direction she was facing, she was giving Tara control even over when she'd be allowed to lay her sights on her mistress.

The sight was one that immediately had her wet, Anne's legs were slightly apart... knees dropping into the cushions and her hairless sex already showing signs of anticipating Tara's attention... while her backside was slightly raised and ready for whatever she deemed it of deserving. Just above, Tara smiled at the tattoo of her own name painstakingly designed in an elegant script, the blending of three different colors to give the ink a raised look. Anne had her hands clasped behind her back. She was as helpless and docile as she could make herself.

Marveling at how much she came to enjoy her times as Anne's mistress, she decided to stop wasting time and moved as silently as possible and quickly slapped Anne on the left cheek, the satisfying crack of the studded latex on her bare skin filled the room.

Anne whimpered loudly at the contact. Tara merely lifted her eyebrow at the Slayer's sound. She knew better than to make noise without leave. It was definitely time for a refresher course.

"Quiet." She barked.

Without waiting for any type of verbal affirmation, Tara struck Anne five quick times, enjoying how her buttocks was glowing already... Anne's Slayer-ness would heal it quickly, but Tara could enjoy it for the moment.

Using her other hand to reach over and grab Anne's hair, roughly pulling her head back, forcing her petite body to arch and contort to Tara's whims, she whipped her hand against Anne's rear several more times, not bothering to count, until she could feel Anne trembling. Shaking. Not one to waste time, especially with a compliant and willing lover, she quickly thrust two latex-covered fingers into Anne's sopping hole... enjoying how her lover pushed her ass back to meet each thrust, every invasion into her tiny body.

She couldn't help but revel in the thrill of her lover reacting to the things she was doing to her, the absolute trust that she placed in Tara, how she would give over all that she was... could be, all that Tara wanted. It was all for them both to enjoy... and that it was Anne who gave Tara that power.

"Come for me." Tara whispered.

The reaction from the smaller girl was immediate, the cry that filled the room as Anne's body answered to her command. The relief she could visibly see caused her own loins to moisten and begin to heat up in the most pleasant of ways. Withdrawing her fingers, she pulled Anne's head around by the grip of hair she still held and pushed the powerful Slayer to her knees, allowing her to lick away her own juices from the latex. Anne's eyes were open and looking adoringly up at her... visual validation that she was enjoying her domination as much as Tara was at giving it.

Date night may have started of the horrible variety, but was definitely going to end with a smile on each of their faces.

...ooo000OOO000ooo...

Tara's POV

So... warding and blessings would need to wait. Besides the fact that it was now very early in the morning and no preparations had they set up, being able to actually move would be necessary for getting the spells accomplished. Oh, her body ached in such a delicious way. Anne was currently curled up in a fetal position, snuggled into a pillow, Tara draped over her from behind, spooning as much skin-on-skin as they could get. They really should have showered before falling asleep, the amount of body fluids and citrus smelling oils that was now drying across their bodies was gonna feel icky, but that was now a problem for morning... about four hours from now when that damned kitty cat alarm clock Anne bought would go off.

It was crazy how excited and terrified she was for work now. After much... we'll call it persuasion, Tara had finally convinced Anne to continue with the grand master plan, as they had now nicknamed it, and just change some of the variables that they had considered unknown before the move.

Spying... such a dirty word... but anyway, the spying would be more hands on in approach since she was now employed and would be seeing both her former Watcher and her mom, though all references to the two of them being married was a no-no touchy subject. Trying to locate and gather of the intel on all friends and such was now a hands-on mission, not the long-range sniper style that was conceived earlier. Tara smiled to herself in the dark, her eyes trailing over the green and blonde streaks of her lover as she considered how well things could turn out.

Was it wrong to hope for a happily ever after? Surely the decades of cutesy cartoon movies couldn't all be wrong. Goddess knew that Anne had dragged her to enough renditions on ice that she could get tickets for.

Tara leaned over and kissed Anne's shoulder. "Love you, Anne." And then promptly fell asleep.

...ooo000OOO000ooo...

Tara's POV

The wear that keeping a secret had upon Tara's mind was worse than trying to smile and pretend that Anne's cooking was even remotely edible; Goddess above, that girl could ruin boiling water to the point of being considered food poisoning. But it wasn't protecting her girlfriend's sensibilities towards the culinary arts, but rather keeping her promise to that same woman that they would watch and wait for a good time to pull back the curtain for the big reveal. And, truth be told, Tara could understand Anne's desire for the recon mission that they had going, to scope out the lay and such… but she was naturally an open and honest person, and having worked for Mister Giles for as the week that she had so far, not to mention the daily doses of Anne's Mom, she just felt it was already time. Let the chips fall as they may.

This morning was probably the hardest time to keep back the secret. Joyce came into the store, her gallery closed on Thursdays, and spent the morning getting to know Tara. It was like a Lifetime Original Movie moment… Tara could feel the older woman's desire to bond for the moment she walked into the back room, Tara busy going through inventory to put out on the shelves, but the conversation seemed to flow between them while the two made notations of what they had, what needed to be ordered, and what should be tossed due to being too old or in poor condition.

It was instances like this that she was so unsure of exactly what to say, to not lie, per se, but to slowly reveal some of her life… and ultimately Anne's life, to the woman. She didn't want , for all intents and purposes, her future mother-in-law, to despise her for keeping her only daughter from her. And to make matters worse, she decided that today would be the day to start talking about her Buffy… Tara's Anne.

"Are you happy, Tara?"

At Joyce's question, the witch shrugged her shoulders. "I am, more-so than I really ever thought I might be. I'm excited about classes and moving forward. Things are mostly great between me and Anne, though she is still dealing with… well, she misses her family."

"Because of the move and going to the university?"

"Yeah. We didn't have a lot of money or anything, working a lot and living in a small place. The scholarships we qualified for has changed everything, but she wasn't sure about Sunnydale. She fought a bit to either stay in LA or try somewhere else."

"She not like the sun?" Joyce smiled. "More of a night person?"

"That, too." Tara shifted so that her shoulder was leaning against the wall. Unconsciously, she had bowed her head so that her hair was shielding her face. "But there were other, uhm, factors, I guess. And Anne and her family fought before." How much could she say? "And now, she's afraid too much time has gone on to fix anything. She's scared. And with everything that happened with me and my family… its funny that I can talk about it. Anne forced me to confront so many things. But I know any chance with my family is gone. I just hope we can find a way to heal what happened with hers."

"You sound like you're in love."

"I am." Tara didn't try to force down the goofy grin she knew she was wearing. "She's my everything."

"And she feels the same?"

The witch nodded. "I think so. We complete each other. Our dark and lights. Highs and lows. It just… we fit. Ya know?"

"She sounds lovely. And I can say from what I've already seen that she's very lucky. I think you and she should come over for dinner soon. Especially before your classes start."

Tara took a breath and tried to steer the conversation away from the invitation. "You're okay with the girl liking girl stuff? Me being gay?"

Joyce laughed. "I work at an art gallery. I deal with artists and critics every day. Homosexuality is nothing to be ashamed of." She took a deep breath. "I thought for a while there that I was going to be the mother of a gay daughter."

Tara almost choked. "R-r-really?"

"Oh, yes. The way she was so secretive, hiding. Sure, she dated, but nothing very serious… not until we moved here, and even then, I was not really very ever sure that it was a real relationship as it might have been a… cover, you understand." Tara could only nod. "I foolishly thought she was hiding how she felt inside… and I was right, but in such a wrong way."

"You couldn't have known, dear." Rupert Giles stated from the doorway, a caring but apologetic look on his face. "She couldn't tell you. I wouldn't let her tell you."

The blonde woman looked over at her husband and smiled. "I know. I don't blame you anymore. But it hurts. I want her back."

"What happened?" Tara asked.

"I lost my daughter over something stupid." At that, Tara looked up at Joyce, both women ignoring Mister Giles' snort. She wasn't as successful at trying to ignore how her heart was racing… so fast. "Yes. I have a daughter. Buffy." Joyce mistook Tara's wince. "Not the best of names, I know, but her father's mother was named Buffy. I let it happen."

Joyce moved over to one of the chairs against the wall and sat.

"Whoo. That talk already." Tara watched as she absently brushed some imaginary lint from her pants, nervous. "You know about this world we live in. How things aren't always what they seem. I never knew how much a part of these evil things that go on all around us my daughter was involved with."

"You thought she was evil?" Tara almost yelled.

Mister Giles said "absolutely not" just as she answered, "No!" Luckily for her, Joyce sounded appalled at such a thought. "I just didn't understand. All at once, I learn that vampires and demons are real… that the monsters I told her were imaginary all were real. And it was up to her to save us all."

"One girl. Chosen. In all the world. She will be the defender of humanity."

It had been spoken so quietly, it still weighed heavily inside the room. Looking over at the British gentleman, Tara spoke softly. "She's the Slayer."

At the word, Joyce's eyes teared up. "Yes."

Her boss took his glasses off and wiped them gently with a cloth from his pocket. "She was the Slayer… and in the few years that she was here, she stopped more threats than most others ever faced in their lifetimes."

"What happened?" She desperately wanted to know Joyce's view of events, how they compared to Anne's.

"According to Rupert, he knew well before I did… but that doesn't matter. Buffy, she said she had to stop a vampire from ending the world." Joyce laughed harshly. "That I can say that now and not be a candidate for a mental hospital." She sniffed loudly. "We argued and I told her not to come back if she walked out the door." As the woman finally broke down, crying, Tara instinctively moved over and pulled the older woman into her arms.

"It was an impossible situation, dear."

"She's gone." She cried. "My little girl is out there, alone. And we looked and looked. Rupert and the Council and everyone. Nobody could find her. Even using witchery failed and we looked for so long." Tara ran her hand soothingly over the older woman's back. "We know she's alive, but nothing else. Nothing works. Rupert and I pray every night. My poor baby. And you're so like her…" At that, Tara felt like she'd just been kicked in her stomach. While there was never a question in her loyalty to Anne, her lover would always come first, she had, in such a short time, come to really like the former Summers woman, and she so desperately wanted to ease her needless suffering.

Mister Giles slowly moved over to put his hand on his wife, the look of absolute love he had for the woman was astounding to Tara, that it almost made up for the pain, direct or by accident, that he had caused. "Things were hard. After Buffy ran, things around here were barely contained. A few others in the know helped out, but it wasn't until… well, we gained some assistance later on, but things were never the same.

"New threats came up, and they were dealt with, but the strength of what had been before was broken."

Joyce nodded, her hand wiping the tears trailing down on her face. "All of Buffy's friends; Willow is gone. Xander never comes around anymore unless his girl comes to the shop. And the others all spread out."

Tara couldn't help asking, even having a pretty good idea of who they were referring to. "Others?"

"Her friends. They all were in on helping her, but after she left… well, they tried, but after Faith and, yeah, there was Wesley."

Tara started to ask about the new names, but Mister Giles cleared his throat, smiling at both of them when they turned back towards where he was standing behind Joyce. "I think that's enough about things right now. Tara," He looked up from his wife. "Why don't you go straighten the shelves out front."

Getting up to go back to the front, she passing saw Mister Giles calmly speak to his wife and take her back into his office, sharing a smile of gratitude towards Tara. In that look, she'd seen all that she needed… she knew now that it was wrong to try and help keep them apart. Tonight, Tara would insist that it was the correct time to start the plan. It would be difficult, she knew, and there would be a lot of hurt feelings on all sides, but with Joyce and Mister Giles leaning on one another and with Anne having her, she knew the Goddess would help with the love and forgiveness.

Reaching into her pocket, Tara felt along the glassy photo that she had swiped from her boss' desk earlier that morning. She had immediately fallen in love with the simple picture that had to have been taken shortly before she left Sunnydale; Anne and her mother somewhere with a beach, both woman smiling and laughing. What made the picture, however, was the overly large sunglasses covering both of their faces. Their apartment was devoid of many personal photos from before they were together, nothing of when Anne was growing up. So few personal mementos that made up her history. Anne said it didn't matter, but Tara knew that she missed so many of the things she grew up with. Maybe the picture would help bring about some type of beginning. Anne couldn't think her mother and the others hated her when they kept reminders of her around everywhere… from what Mister Giles had said after his wife had calmed down in his office, Anne's room was just as she'd left it.

It was time to change. There was too much hurt going around… and besides, Tara was excited on having parents again. Picking up the pace, she ran over towards the tiny corner deli that Joyce had told her about. Maybe after a quick bite, she could call Anne and see about setting up a meeting for sooner, rather than never.

…ooo000OOO000ooo…

Tara's POV

Was it really so easy to feel such polar opposites in regards to emotions?

Really?

Anne had said yes. Sure, there had been a lot of not-yelling, not to mention a lot of tantruming and the promising of favors, mostly of a kinky and panty-dampening nature... and, lest she forget even to herself, that there was quite a bit of agreements that would allow Anne to get her way for the better part of the next decade. But it was all worth it.

Now all she had to do was to figure out the best way to even begin to broach the possibility of putting them all together. Initially, she and Anne were going to try and approach her friends; Willow or Xander or someone else, to see if they could help act as friendly co-conspirators on the make-up with Mom grand master plan, but after what Tara had learned today, that was out the window. But it was not all of the bad. Anne was full of happy tears on hearing what Tara had to say about the conversations with her mother.

So, what would it be?

Tara entered the shop, ten minutes to spare on her lunch hour, a bounce in her step and a smile upon her face. Laughing silently at the tinkle of the bell as she opened the door, she immediately noticed that there were several customers in the store... not the immediate norms that she was used to seeing over the week, but rather several... well, different characters, all talking quietly and urgently with Mister Giles. Not wanting to interrupt, the young witch carefully brushed her hair away from her face and moved silently towards the back room and the store's office, the plan was to set her purse down on the cabinet set aside for her use, and then head back out front and get back to stocking the display shelves.

The best laid plans, however, as she barely made it three steps into her plan.

"Tara, dear." Mister Giles called over to her. She immediately changed direction and headed to where her boss stood. "I'd like to introduce you to a few people from around the town."

Pointing a a young man with a nice smile, he started the introductions. "This is Xander Harris. One of my former students from when I worked at the local high school." She nodded at one of Anne's former friends. "And the young lady with him is his girlfriend, Verruca."

"No salt jokes, please."

Xander Harris was probably almost exactly how he had been described to her. Tall and fairly nice-looking, a little bit of that sweet nerdy type that no one ever appreciated in high school, but he seemed fairly at ease with himself. And by the look of his girlfriend, apparently the type to go for the bad girl... who, while attractive, was not at all what Tara might find attractive. Verruca was pretty, in a very butch style of dress.

"Got it. Willy Wonka bad." Tara grinned. She was happy to see that the young redheaded woman's eyes sparkly in appreciation at having her own joke thrown back at her.

"Quite." Mister Giles offered. "And this is Michael, yet another former student."

Tara turned to take in the smaller teenager, trying to hold in her immediate distaste for the full on goth motif and faux-vampire style of dress he wore. By his scent... a mixture of rosemary and sandlewood, as well as the slight chill of magick she could feel sputter around him, he was obviously a practitioner in some manner or another. She was glad that he didn't offer to shake her hand, nor even really acknowledge her presence.

"Nice to meet you." Xander offered, his smile slightly lopsided in a puppy dog, adorable kind of way. She wondered idly if Anne would let her keep him.

"You, too."

Before she could turn back to Verruca to try and ascertain more about the intriguing woman… her aura smelled wild and dangerous, the other figure, a slightly older gentleman, though not nearly as old as Mister Giles, stepped forward, his stance way too prim and proper not to have been made fun of all of his life, nodded his head in greeting.

"Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, at you service, Miss Maclay."

Unsure of exactly what to say or do, Tara simply smiled in welcome. She was saved from having to do too much of anything as Joyce Giles chose that moment to exit out from the stock room carrying a basket that seemed full of spell components, calling out to her, pulling her safely away from these new people.

"Tara, dear. Can you help me?"

"Of course." She called to Anne's mother. With a smile and nod, she moved from the group and walked over to help relieve everything that she was carrying, moving the basket towards the register counter. She did her best to focus on what to do about getting Anne and her mother together, wondering if maybe she should now wait since Xander had made an appearance.

From behind where she was standing, she could listen to the conversation taking place.

"The signs are all there, Rupert." Mister Wyndam-Pryce was saying. "Even with only the one small quake, all of the signs in the codex agree... the Hellmouth will open again."

"Yes. I'm sure that it will. And you have your Slayer to deal with it." So the younger British guy was the new Slayer's Watcher.

"Rupert?" Joyce's voice was concerned.

"Mrs. S... well, Mrs. G, now." Xander broke in. "We got it handled. Mikey here throws around some of the mojo stuff and Faith'll kick aaaaa...achoo, maybe." He covered that slip like an untrained apprentice. "Kick booty, I'd say. Ver and me can act as backup. All's good."

Tara felt her breath catch when she heard Verruca snort under her breath. "Yeah... like after dealing with Camazotz."

"And where is Miss Lehane?" Mister Giles asked, eliminating any chance she might have to ask the young woman about the name she had muttered.

"Not that it is your concern any longer, Rupert, but Faith is resting, as instructed. We were quite busy during patrols late last night. I sent her home well after two this morning."

"Of course."

Verruca snickered loudly. "Riiight. Sleeping. More like passed out after drinking and dancing till dawn at The Bronze."

"Can we get the stuff and go already?" Michael suddenly chimed in. "I'd like to have time to double-check everything in the book you lent me."

"Of course." Mister Giles answered. "Adding it to your account?"

Someone must have silently nodded, as Tara watched her boss move over to pick up the basket and hand it off to Xander. Joyce took that moment to step closer to the young man and hug him around the neck. "I swear, you're getting more handsome every time I see you. I wish you wouldn't be such a stranger and come by for dinner one night."

Tara felt her stomach drop at the sudden gleam in her eyes. Trouble. Oh, yes, here it came. "I have the most wonderful idea. Xander, you and Verruca should come to dinner at my house on Sunday. Tara and her girlfriend, Anne, will be coming and this would be a great time for you to all meet. Tara is new in town and, since she and her girlfriend will be attending the university next semester, you could introduce them around town. Maybe we could invite Faith, too."

"Dear." Rupert tried to interrupt, but at a stern glance from his wife, fell silent.

She decided to veer off the possible incoming danger. "Mrs. Giles. Joyce. I haven't spoken to Anne about your invite, yet. I can't promise we'll be able to be there."

"Don't worry, Mrs. G." Xander suddenly decided to throw his two-cents worth in. "For one of your home-cooked meals, me and Ver can drag Tara and her girlfriend to you." Verruca was nodding along with her boyfriend. No help there.

"But..."

"Thank you, Xander." Joyce said sincerely. She then turned to look at her. "And Tara, don't make me pull out my secret weapon. Mother's are the best at guilting their way to getting what they want."

"Fine." Tara mumbled. Anne was going to kill her... and not in a good way.

"Wonderful. Now that that is settled, I can get to planning on a meal to make Thanksgiving look paltry in comparison."

Soon after, Joyce left in a very happy mood, a wonderful sight to see considering the dark and emotionally explosive morning that had occurred in the back room. The group of defenders, as Tara had silently named them, had all talked for a few minutes before eventually leaving... Xander making a point of giving Tara his telephone number saying that she and Anne could call to get together with him any time. She wondered how available that invitation would be once Anne's identity came out.

And after what seemed like no time, the work day had passed. For such a small town, Tara was amazed at the number of people that stopped by and made purchases. From amulets to minor protection spells; there was even the occasional person that seemed more in the know looking for the darker aspects of magick. Tara was fairly sure that she sold a few of the more rare and expensive components for a resurrection spell... something that was more dangerous and difficult to cast than many realized.

"Ready to lock up?" Rupert Giles asked, his query causing all of the nervous bunnies inside to start hopping around again. It was now or never for today... and with the potential disaster of the Sunday dinner coming up, there was really no more time to waste.

"Can we talk for a second?"

She watched as he paused at the door, flipping the sign over to say "closed" and locked the door. Once done, he looked carefully at her and smiled. "Of course, Tara. Is anything the matter? Are you okay? Is it Anne?" He was quiet for a moment. "Are you needing me to get you out of dinner? She'll be disappointed, but I..."

"No. Not that." She interrupted. Goddess give her courage. "I w-wanted to take... I mean talk, to talk to you about B-B-Buffy."

"Buffy?" He asked, perplexed.

"I know her."

Silence filled the room, much like Tara expected death must sound like. She kept her gaze averted, too terrified to look at the man she had come to respect so quickly. She had not understood Anne, the heartbreak she felt over someone that was assigned to watch her. To teach her. Why would Anne feel so hurt at having left him behind? Her understanding was, in part, one of the driving forces in what she was doing now.

Unable to take the silence for too much longer, it feeling like an hour had passed since she'd called Anne by her first name, she looked up into the dumbstruck face of Anne's former Watcher.

Finally, he spoke. "You... you say you know Buffy. Buffy Summers?" Tara nodded. "Uh... Wha... wai... no. Could you explain this to me, please?"

Tara shrugged, her heart racing. "We needed to find out what things were like now. If she could come home. You know, if her Mom still hated her." And just like that, she was vomiting words like Anne would. "She's so lonely. I mean, she has me and I think that's enough, but I can see it in her eyes that she misses you and her mother... when I talk about her when I come home, and you, too. You must know that. And now I've met Xander... and somewhere there's Willow. She's scared, Mister Giles. Scared of everyone not loving her, that the new Slayer has completely taken her place... and that..."

"Wait." He finally stopped her. "When you talk to her? At home?"

Tara nodded. "Yes, sir. At home. My Anne. Buffy Anne Summers..." She took a breath. "Well, Anne Jones, now. But she was Buffy."

It finally seemed to click for him. The light bulb had finally turned on. "Buffy. Your Anne is my Buffy? Joyce's Buffy?"

The look in the older Englishman's gaze suddenly scared her. All that was left was her terrified reply.

"Uh-huh."

...ooo000OOO000ooo...


	3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer

CHAPTER THREE – Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Note: A lot of the first section comes directly from Becoming, Part II

Anne's POV

For more months than she could stand to count even silently to herself, her personal nightmare all day and every night was always the same; she and Angelus, the non-cursed version of her first love, sword-fighting deep within the mansion. Events had spiraled completely out of control... Jenny dead; Giles tortured, possibly most probably maimed for life. It was breaking her heart, but there was no coming back from all that he had done.

That moment that she had had drilled into her head through all the years of training; that split second where your opponent lets an opening reveal itself that finally comes around... well, it came around. Angelus had been the hardest of persons to fight. Hell, Angel had helped train her in a lot of the sessions she had worked on with Giles. For whatever reason, she was able to strike out, the blade he carried clanging harshly to the floor.

Victory!

She lifted her sword to dispatch Angelus, but something, yet again, something held her back when it happened... no longer Angelus... Angel was suddenly gazing back at her. Her heart wanted to crack and fall to dust like the vampires she usually faced as she listened to her former lover gasp loudly and groan in obvious pain. His eyes glowed bright red for a near instant before falling dark.

She watched dispassionately as he collapsed to the floor, like a marionette with its strings cut... only the sounds of his crying echoing in the open room. After what seemed an eternity, Angel – Angelus no more – finally lifted his blood tear-streaked face to hers

"Buffy?" He sobbed. "What's going on? Where are we? I-I don't remember."

No matter how hard she tried, the memory ran the same each time, her body refusing to do anything less than what she did that night. Lowering her sword, she carefully stepped closer. "Angel?"

The scene in her mind jumps. Suddenly she is crying into the love of her life's shoulder, her arms wrapped tightly around him. She tries to ignore Acathla rumbling behind him. How did he not hear? Against her will, she opens her eyes again as the statue's face contorts... his eyes glowing crimson while the mouth opens grotesquely. A swirling vortex to Hell opens, small at first, but growing steadily in size and emanating a deep, red glow.

It is always the same... letting go of Angel and looking up into his face.

"What's happening?"

"Shh." She ran her hand along his back as she reveled in the ability to touch him again... one last time before there would never be a chance again. Inside, she was dying within the memory, yet again. Unable to stop herself, she lied to him again... "Don't worry about it."

She brushed her fingers over his lips and across his cheek, laying her hand on his cheek and kissing him softly. "I love you."

"I love you."

"Close your eyes." She whispered to him... How she wished she could close her own eyes.

Oh, that he trusted her. Why did he close his eyes? Right. Love. Tears trail down her face, then and now, as the memory of their lips touching fort he last time. Ever. All that is really left of the horror is drawing back her sword and thrusting it into his chest.

Betrayal. That's what his eyes show when they whip open to look at her. She had convinced herself at one point in time that they showed surprise and pain, but it was betrayal.

She is forced to squint her eyes against the sudden burst of white light that exploded outwards from her lover's chest, the sword acting as a central focus for the swirling inter-dimensional nuclear bomb that was set to explode. Buffy watched helplessly as the vortex seemingly grew outwards, the fear that it had not been stopped... her heart ripped from her chest... all for naught.

"Buffy..." She almost cried at the horror in his voice.

There was really no way to adequately describe the rise of power that filled the huge room in the castle. It was like all of the hair on her body seemed to want to stand on end, the pressure inside of her head causing each ear to want to pop... the smell of ozone filling her nostrils. Powerful, world-changing magicks swirled as the energy continued to rise higher and higher until...

Angel was gone.

The hideous stone statue of Acathla stood vigilant over the Slayer, the sword driven deep into the stone, resolute and firm, unyielding and quiet in the horrible secret he held once more.

Angel was gone.

Forever.

And the tears finally fell down her cheeks... both then and now.

...ooo000OOO000ooo...

Anne's POV

Time heals all wounds.

That was what my Mom said to me the night my father left us, me feeling alone and lost in my bedroom, crying my heart out that the only security I had left in the world was Gordo, my stuffed pig. Everything else was ashes… Merrick dead, my Calling and my Destiny forced down my throat like a typical date rape after the prom... my Daddy was leaving, too.

My Mom held me and rocked me and told me that it would get better, that we'd be better. A new life starting tomorrow.

A brand new day.

Its been over a year since she threw me out of the house. Nineteen months, if you want to be anal about it. Tara would smile that smile of hers at me and would probably be able to give me the months, weeks, days, minutes and possibly even the seconds, depending on how snarky she was gonna be about it. Tara, my salvation. I was on a downward flushing spiral of Super Bowl halftime proportions working that dead end job, just existing within the pain of my failure. I'd failed as a Slayer… a student. As a daughter. As a friend and as a girlfriend. As a lover. As a person. As Buffy.

So I became Anne. I liked Anne… well… eventually. Really, I guess, Tara liked Anne. Loves Anne. That made being Anne wonderful. And life became all Sound of Music-y. There were hills. There was music.

So my mother was right, in a wrong kinda way. Wounds did heal. And time gave me Tara. Ergo. Time healed all wounds.

But I miss my Mom.

That's the real reason I'm back in Sunnydale. Tara probably knows… she knows me so well. She'll make such good teacher or doctor or shrink-type person. Maybe a counselor. She helps so much, its hard to believe that she can love me like she does, and that she lets me love her the way I do. Who knew I could be gay? Yep. Gay… but I think its that Anne is gay. A lesbian. Buffy was good and straight, not that you can't be gay and good, but… you know… maybe I don't mean good but rather perfect. Buffy tried to be perfect. Anne just wants to be good. Yeah, I like the way that sounds. Anne is good.

Wow. How's that for a self-realizing type of thingie? An empathy or something.

That was a joke. Get it? An empiphany versus empathy? Nevermind...

Tara woulda laughed at that…

But, yeah. Back in the ol' homestead or whatever. I so am in awe of Lilah and Auntie Kate. Who knew that living in Los Angeles and being a lesbian with a witch like Tara could lead to a group of friends like I have. Like we have. A cop that has taken us under her wing, adopting us both as the younger sisters that she didn't have but always wanted. And Lilah, a lawyer that wants to make us happy.

I know, right? A lawyer on our side. I'd say that I'd never make a bad remark or joke about lawyers ever again, but Lilah knows more of them than I could ever hope to know and loves making Tara and I giggle over them, no matter how bad they might be.

But with Lilah and Kate, no secrets. Sure, I tried to hide what I was… the Slayer, not gay… and live normally. Lilah answered that one best, well, best after Tara. Why be normal? Truth is that whether you involve the supernatural stuff into the world or not, the fact remains that no one is Joe Normal. That guy living across the hall? Secretly looks at kiddie porn. The sweet old lady you met at the grocery? She works as a dominatrix on the weekends. And your Sunday School teacher? Kills pets in the neighborhood and has them all buried in the basement. According to some hush-hush stuff Lilah told us about some of the clients her firm helps out, its really the demons and other non-human guys that try to be normal.

I miss them. Kate was great… please ignore the rhyme... she even helped me get my GED under my assumed name. Yeah, Anne Jones. Jones came from Fred Jones of Scooby Doo fame. Always liked that ascot. Only Freddie could pull that off. Hilary can so kiss my tattooed ass thinking Shaggy is all that. Into grunge much? So, high school taken care of and, with a cop that looked the other way as she was pulling in favors, I was gainfully employed at my bar and Tara at the book place, though she needed no help to get her job. Nobody can resist Tara. And then Lilah pulling off the greatest offer since Jesus' impromptu picnic of fish and bread; Tara and I can go to college. I don't know what we woulda done without them.

Sure, there were complications. Nothing's ever free, but for pain and heartache. If you want stuff, you gotta work at it. So, who cares that Wolfram and Hart wanted their very own Slayer on the payroll? Maybe I mighta cared before I sent Angel, my Angel, to Hell. But there's a new Slayer in town and she can deal with the pro bono work and the guilt and the worry. Me? I'd sell my blood and shave off my green hair if it'd make Tara happy.

And how bad can it be? Lilah has been great and if they need me to help them out AND I get paid for it, all the better. Sure, I was worried a bit at first. No one wants to be taken advantage of, but I reread that contract… and other than all of the parts I didn't understand, they were very on the up and up. I can do it. And after I explained it all to Tara, she offered to help. And besides, they don't even really want us to do much at all… just go to school and live our lives.

My world finally seemed on track. In love with and loved by Miss Maclay. Employed with some mulah in the bank, not to mention our emergency cash in the Raisin Bran box. Scholarship for UCS. Shoulda known that there were more rainies in the sky.

I'd worked through so much pain, so much self-loathing and guilt over killing Angel. Destroying the man that I loved so much… only to learn that he was back, though why I was surprised when nothing ever stays dead or whatever in my life. Sure, Merrick was still gone… Kendra, too. Miss Calendar not coming back. So much death all around me, you'd think it was all I had to offer. My gift. But it was a lucky break with Tara that led to so much changing in our lives.

I don't even really remember what we were all doing… a late movie maybe, but Kate asked if we minded her swinging by an investigator's office to drop off a file he'd requested. Only by the grace of the Goddess Tara's constantly talking about did I offer to wait in the car. Tara and Kate were involved in an argument about something and Tara went to go in with her. Angel Security and Investigations.

And you'd think that learning that Angel was not only back from Hell and living in the City of Angels… ignore that pun, please, would be the bigger shock. But that would be a world of no's; not only was he here, but Oz was in L.A., too. Just kill me now. But let's add a great heaping spoonful of pain on top of this disaster sundae. My mom was visiting. Mom! With Angel! How did my life get to that point, huh? Needless to say, once Aunt Kate learned that Angel was a vampire, which, of course, led to more questions about my past… insert edited version, who wants to talk about their first time leading to the reemergence of one of the most feared vampires of all time. Yeah, color me not in the happy. That led to major bookage out of there. Suddenly, returning to Sunnydale didn't seem so bad… plus, I had Tara.

And who was looking for Anne, anyway?

Which leads to me now hiding out in mine and Tara's ultra cool new apartment, located and paid for by Lilah and Wolfram and Hart. So, I find that… yeah, I can be bought, and it includes a small swimming pool-sized bathtub and included utilities with cable. Walking distance to the uni, a grocery and the mall. Now, if only my life would forget the fact that my ex-Watcher is my girlfriend's employer… and to add insult to injury I find that Giles married my Mom. Step-daddy Watcher.

There's a horror movie big bad.

That finds me watching Passions and Oprah every day, rather than bar hopping and dirty dancing with my love, or checking out the campus and, Goddess forbid, the many cemeteries around town. Lucky for me she has it in her to know how to tame a stir-crazy Slayer in a self-imposed exile: sex.

Mmm. Sex with Tara. Forget about how beautiful and wonderful she is… and toss aside that she thinks I'm wonderful and that we're in love. And ignore that we're both females in love with one another; lesbians. No, we're talking about how a shy, publicly unassertive Wiccan reached deep down inside of herself and beat the Slayer part down, forced it into submission, and then drove it to the highest height of pleasure.

So… Anne is a good submissive girl. Who knew? And to think, back at the start of mine and Tara's dating, I thought I'd have to lead her around. Now, I find that she is the one holding the leash.

And Anne is happy...

I'm happy...

Which means the other shoe is about to drop.

…ooo000OOO000ooo…

Tara's POV

"Ca-can't I at least call her first?" I asked again, my stomach completely in knots, as Mister Giles made the next to last turn before he reached mine and Anne's apartment complex. I waited with abated breath, but this request... much like all of the beggings I'd attempted since he'd practically thrown me into his car, went largely ignored.

Not that I expected much in any other response. Since my bombshell, the former Watcher has verbalized nothing more than a quick call to Anne's mother that he was driving me home and might be late.

Yeah. Not much on the hope that this conversation was gonna be quick... nor to mention how utterly pissed my girlfriend was gonna be.

I hate me sometimes.

"Well?" It took me a moment to realize that we'd stopped.

"Yes, sir?"

Mister Giles pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose... his eyes sharp in their gaze.

"Tara. At this point, I do believe all attempts at prolonging this are futile. Please take me to Buffy. To Anne."

There was no way out of it. I nodded in defeat and opened the car door.

The walk up the steps to the corner unit of the complex, the one with the excellent view and the secluded balcony thanks to some conveniently placed trees, felt like the longest walk in my life. I understand the Green Mile so much more now.

As we approached the door, I snuck a glance over to my boss, hoping to gleam some idea of how he was feeling... how this might go. I had barely caught a glimpse of his frown and tightened features before Fate decided to once again prove her bitchiness and decided to make her presence known.

"Fuck me."

Anne's voice carried to my ears easily. I turned to see our doorway open and Anne standing there holding a full bag of trash... wow. Now she decides to do housework chores. Levity aside, her eye were wider than I'd ever seen them as she stood frozen in place. Turning to look at Mister Giles, I was somewhat evily pleased to see he was as much gobsmacked as my Anne seemed to be.

"Honey, I've brought company home." Anne's look at my poor joke was enough to make me realize that this was gonna be light years beyond awkward.

Finally, one of them spoke, "Hey, Giles. Long time no, ya know?"

"Quite." The former Watcher stated. "Its good to see you... you've been missed."

Neither had moved, but Tara wasn't gonna dare break this... well, whatever it was. Instead, she just watched and waited... and worried.

"New Slayer not up to snuff?"

"What?" Mister Giles really looked confused at Anne's question. Realization came moments later. "Oh. No. I don't care, we don't care about that, Buffy. Anne. Your mother and I, well, we have missed you."

"So, can we move this inside and be all comfy and stuff? Maybe sit?" Tara asked in the resulting silence from her boss' statement.

Her girlfriend finally seemed to catch herself and attempted a smile. "Sure. Giles, why don't you follow Tara inside." She hefted the trash bag she was still carrying. "Let me toss this in the dumpster and I'll be right back."

Tara tried to ignore the chill that ran down her back at the look Anne covertly threw her way as the former Slayer took the stairs down while she gestured for Mister Giles to follow her into the apartment.

"Nice place."

She turned and smiled at him, ignoring the poos attempt at small talk. Throwing her jacket across the back of the couch, her gaze moved about the room.

Whew! No sex toys or obvious items of parental no-no's in sight.

"Would you like to sit?"

He laughed harshly. "I'd like a drink. And an explanation. And a chance to wake up. Maybe not exactly in that order, but..."

"We have some wine. I think there is some beer left, too." She offered.

Mister Giles' head turned slowly towards her, one of those horror movie moments where the killer spots his prey. It took all of her will to stand up to the quiet onslaught that his look seemed to force upon her.

"No. I think alcohol might not be the best option right now." His voice was clipped. "Was Buffy's hair coloured green? Is that supposed to be some type of disguise?" He was almost yelling. "What the bloody Hell is going on?"

"Giles." Anne's voice from the front door... not that there was a back door to the apartment... interrupting any response that Tara mnight have had. "Let's try and keep it civil and..."

"Civil?" He broke in, his gaze now on Anne. "You've been missing for over a year; maybe a year and a half, and you want me to be civil?

"Do you have any idea of what you put all of us through? You mother through? Joyce was ripped apart by your galavanting off to who knows where..."

"L.A."

Tara's interruption seemed to throw him off track just a bit.

"What?"

"I was in Los Angeles." Anne answered. Tara smiled at how between the two of them, both taking turns to talk to him, answer him, that he was thrown off a bit.

"But we looked there... Angel and , well... Willow before she left."

Anne nodded. "I'm not without resources and friends, Giles."

"Friends?"

Tara walked over to wear the other girl was and wrapped her arm around Anne's waist. At Mister Giles' look, she held up her hand and smiled as Anne rested her head on her shoulder. "Witch."

The light visibly dawned in his eyes. "You protected her from scrying?"

Anne nodded. "All sorts of blocking and protecting. A regular football offensive line of stay away."

"B-but, but why, Buffy?" He finally sat down on the recliner that he had been standing in front of. "Why did you run? What happened?"

Tara held her breath as she waited to see how her lover and soul-mate was going to respond. This was so afar from the Master Plan that they were all in a impromptu SNL skit that was ready to either make everyone laugh or everyone leave out the quickest exit, stage right.

"I thought it was all over." Anne answered quietly, her voice barely over a whisper.

"Over? How? What happened, Buffy?"

"Anne."

Her former Watcher's eyebrows rose dramatically. "Pardon?"

"I'm Anne now."

"Buffy..."

"No." Anne didn't yell, but her tone stood for no argument. "Let's get things started the right way, Giles. I'm Anne now. Buffy is gone, maybe never to return. Please."

Mister Giles nodded slowly. "Okay. Anne. Can you please tell me what happened. Please."

Tara nodded. This was going better than she had hoped. Armageddon one-oh-one bypassed today. Tomorrow hopeful.

Anne sighed loudly, a clear sign that she was trying, but was wary of what allo she should reveal.

"Should I... we... well, what about Mom?" At the British man's look, Tara watched as she elaborated. "This is, yeah, kinda long story. Not much on the looking forward to telling it once... and if it needs telling, then there are a lot more that should hear it."

Mister Giles was nodding. "I understand, Bu-Anne." He caught himself, much to Tara's relief. "But I need to know something. Anything. This is going to be hard on a lot of people, but I deserve... your Mother deserves something now."

The silence seemed to stretch out. Tara, taking pity on both of them, finally decided that she would have to help out...

"Anne, maybe we should go see your Mom now."

At her suggestion, it was like a minature explosion on the mystical plane as Anne's emotional aura burst over her. How could anyone hold so much power and not be corrupted by it?

"What?" Anne spoke just as Mister Giles added, "Splendid."

They both looked at her as Tara nodded. "Anne, we knew that eventually we had to come clean about being back here..." She ignored Anne's stuttering. "And while showing up tonight wasn't ever a part of any plannings, we have to deal with the cards we have."

"I know, but..."

"No 'buts' about it, babe," She smiled at her lover. "Sunday was gonna be the big reveal since there was dinner that I couldn't get out of."

Mister Giles was nodding silently as she continued. "So its time to put on your big girl panties and let's do this."

"Fine." Anne huffed. "So... how do we do this? Just show up on her doorstep like the two of you did to me? That'll be a big success. I'm still amazed at myself that I didn't book after tossing the garbage."

Tara smiled. "You'd never leave me hanging..."

Anne threw her hands up in the air as she stood and began pacing. "I wish..."

Glancing back over to where the Watcher sat silently, Tara arched an eyebrow. "Well... she's your wife, now." At his look, she smiled. "What's the plan?"

Even Anne looked victorious as he lost color in his face, his hand suddenly furiously wiping his glasses. "Oh, dear Lord."

Exactly.

...ooo000OOO000ooo...


End file.
